Board Meeting – July 15, 2014

Attending

MORE Board

• Ernie Rodriguez – President
• Jason Ashmore – Vice President
• Jason Miller – Membership
• Martin Fernandez – Operations
• Kevin Adams – Treasurer

MORE Staff

• Ryan Delany
• Holly Fisher

MORE Members and Guests

• Rob Lowe
• Todd Bauer
• Anthony Duncan – IMBA Mid-Atlantic Regional Director representative, Bristol, VA, marketing, former president sorba chapter.
• Bob Compton

Anthony Duncan, new IMBA Regional Director; Introduction. gave a little on his background. Short term plan is to meet out all the chapters. Came to more specifically to meet with Ryan and get a feel for the region. Will be working together to draft a plan. MORE is more of a “juggernaut”  – a model for other chapters. Came to learn a little from MORE to take some of our ideas to other chapters.

Would like to implement some of the experiences he’ had with inter-state organizations – bi-annual summits – would like to implement something along those lines in mid-atlantic. Communications is a priority.

Financials – Kevin Adams

• Pulled off the NOVA Epic!
• MORE financials are on a cash basis – $934 revenue in June
• Net revenue from Major events $6,100+
• T0ur de Fat brought over $4,000 in revenue
• Patapsco Epic doing very well – anticipate being bigger than MoCo’s first year

Strategic Goals Review – Ernie Rodriguez

• Identify gaps – Ernie will send out document for resourcing.

Fund Raising

• Everyone think about fund raising opportunities; Communicate fund raising opportunities to MORE board or Staff.

Kevin Adams – Recurring Revenue Initiative – Primary discussion

Kevin presented a preliminary concept he’s been working on for chapters to identify revenue producing initiatives that would have national benefit for IMBA to implement. The best ideas originate in the field and he believes IMBA should implement a program where chapters have financial incentive through royalties to share workable ideas. Kevin then presented a specific idea he has that would align interests and missions of various trail user groups and generate revenue and members for chapters and MORE. Kevin will continue developing the concept and specific idea and will address with the board and IMBA when it is mature.

Question posed about lifetime memberships – is there value?

Jason Miller – this is a paradigm shift in how MORE board has discussed involvement with racing. Historical IMBA has not been involved with racing because it would give perception IMBA is benefiting from grass roots advocacy efforts.

IMBA Small Grants

• Did not get Germantown or Fountainhead grants
• There are more sources and more funding opportunities we will explore
• Trails committee – Equestrian approached us to split cost for port-a-john; Decisions should be made by the committee and not unilaterally by one member – regarding where the funds would come to pay. Initially talked about moving them from the MoCo re-investment fund or the general fund. Message to trails committee should be to decide; Y

Yes to sharing cost to equestrians, accounting back to trails committee; Either they pay for it or come back to board to request payment from general funds.

Partner with more users to share items like this.

IMBA Summit

• Kevin and Ernie – thus far going to Summit; Bob, interested? will see if he can
• IMBA would like to see cross-jurisdictional training system (MoCo rep will not be able to attend – Chuck – MoCO cn;t fund despite MORE’s stipend)

Member Survey

• Struggling – Joel Kennet
• Figure out what we want to know from members (what is your favorite trail, what kind of maintenance is done, what would it take you to come out to maintain)
• Engage membership – COMMUNICATIONS!
• Whatever we do for survey, we should think about using to drive people to next board vote.
• How do we increase competition?
• Rob – Wants to be involved in increasing participation – ultimately how do we get more people involved in BOD.

Last Minute Items – Email from Dan Hudson – DNR Trails

The board addressed the issue of competing trail work priorities – new construction, major and minor maintenance items – prompted by a member’s email and how these priorities are impacting volunteer turnout. Various ideas were proffered and discussed with the consensus of the trails committee focusing on identifying ways to support and facilitate the trail liaisons maintenance efforts on the trails was the proper course of action. Trails committee to report actions by next board meeting.